Brace



Patented Feb. 11, 1936 PATENT OFFICE BRACE Stephen R. Hickok, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Hickok Manufacturing Company, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 14, 1935, Serial No. 1,740

12 Claims. (Cl. 2417-19) The invention relates to improvements in braces or Suspenders.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of braces or Suspenders, more particularly the construction of the back of the brace andto remove therefrom a maximum amount of objectionable construction located in the region of the spinal column of the wearer and to provide a brace having a strong and light weight inelastic cord attached to and connecting the rear terminals of a pair of shoulder straps of elastic webbing, the terminal portions of the cord element which connects the rear terminals of the shoulder straps being extended therefrom and forming back suspender ends for the brace.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical brace of this character adapted'to permit freedom of movement of the wearer without producing excessive pressure on the spinal column and at the same time reduce to a minimum the area of contact 'of the brace with the spinal column.

Another object of the invention is to equip the brace with a rear iiexible shoulder strap connecting member consisting of a single piece of the said strong light weight cord and -forming both a shoulder strap connecting portion and back suspender ends, and it is also an object of the invention to enable a substantially similar cord member to be employed in the formation of the front suspender ends.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a brace constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional View illustrating the manner of securing the flexible cord member to the rear ends of the shoulder straps.` Y

Figure 3r is a detail sectional viewon the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail View partly in section illustrating the manner of attaching the front suspender ends to the shoulder straps.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view` on the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View showing the ends of the cord of the flexible member secured together and fastened to the rear end of one oi the shoulder straps.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one embodiment of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

'Ihe brace of the present invention comprises in its construction a pair of shoulder straps I constructed of elastic webbing or other suitable material 4and arranged in spaced relation throughout their entire length, the rear ends 2 of the shoulder straps being spaced apart and secured to a continuous light exible member 3 consisting of a single continuous piece of strong light weight cord doubled to form two strands 4 and 5. The doubling of the cord to form the twcstrands 4 and 5 provides button engaging loops 6 at the terminals of the flexible member Blandthe strands are secured togetherv at' the inner or upper ends of the loops 6 by metal bands 1 which are clamped around the strands of the flexible member 3.

' The rear ends 2 of the back straps are provided with tabs 8 of leather or otherY suitable material which is folded to embrace the rear ends .of the shoulder straps and which are cut to provide bias loops 9 through which the flexible member 3 passes. The transversely disposed bias loops which incline downwardly and outwardly are formed by the folding or bending of the material of the tabs 8 and the extension of the same beyond the rear terminals` of the shoulder straps as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing. The sides or flaps of the tabs are stitched or otherwise secured to the rear ends of the shoulder straps and the terminals. IIJ and II of the inelastic cord which are arranged within the bias loop 9 of one ofk the tabs may be securedto the same in any desired manner. A convenient and prac.- tical way of accomplishing this result is effected by wrapping a strip I2 of adhesive tape around theY strands and stitching the same to the strands and extending one end of the adhesive tape Ybeyond the strands to form a flap I3 and securing the said iiap I3 by stitching and by the adhesive Vo1? the tape between the rear end of one of the back straps and the adjacent portionof the tab :portion I5 which extends across the space between the rear ends of the shoulder straps and which also lies within the bias loops of the tabs thereof. The intermediate connecting portion of the flexible cord member spaces the rear ends of bled to form loops |76 to receive Vlinks I1 which connect tabs I8 with theshoulderrstraps. The terminal portions of the elastic webbing at the front ends of the shoulder straps are adjustable Y to vary the effective length of the shoulder straps pender ends.

and are equipped with brace buckles I9 of any.

suitable construction. The tabsV I8, which are preferably tapered downwardly, may be con-V structed of aV single piece of leather orany other suitable material which is do-ubled to form a front suspender end receivingloop 20 and which has the rear side ofthe loop 20 folded on itself at the top ofthe tab to provide a loop or fold 2l to receive the link I1. The terminals 22 and 23 of the iiexible' piece Vof leather or Vother material of which the front tab is constructed are secured together and to the rear portion of the tab by any suitable means, preferably by a line of stitching 23a.

Each front suspenderV end 24 consists of a sin gle continuous piece of light strong cord of the same material of which therear flexible cord member is constructed and the cord is doubled to form two strands and to provide button engaging loops 25 at the terminals ofthe front sus- The strands are securedV together at the inner or upper endsof the loops 25 by metal bands 26 which are clamped around the strands. The terminals Y2'! and 28 of the cord are secured together within the front tab I8 preferably by means ofv a strip 29 of adhesive tape which is wrapped around the strands and which is stitched to the same, one end ofthe tape being? extended beyond the strands to form a tab 3B which is securedby adhesive material to the tabinteriorly thereof and also by the line of stitching 23d. Any

other suitable means may, of course, be employed for securing together the cord of the front sus# pender ends and for rigidly securing the front suspender ends in the tabs or hanger members i8.

VWhat is claimed is:

V1. A brace comprising shoulder straps spaced apart throughout their entire length, and a con-Y tinuous light flexible member extending across the space between and secured to the rear terminalsV of the shoulder straps and extending from the same to form rear suspender ends connected only at the top directly to the rear ends of the shoulder straps, said flexible member consisting of a single continuous piece of cord doubled to form, two strands and to provide button engag'L ing loops at the ends of the flexible member, the strands of the cord beingcontiguous throughout the entire length of the member between the said button engaging loops.

2. A brace comprising shoulder straps spaced apart throughout their entire length, and a continuous .light'flexible member extending across the space between and connecting the rear terminals ofthe shoulder straps and consisting of aV Vsingle continuous piece of cord doubled to- 'form' Vtwo strands and to provide button engaging loops at the ends of the flexible member, the terminals aoeonei of the cord being secured together and fastened to the rear end' of one of the shoulder straps.

3. A brace comprising shoulder straps spacedV apart throughout their entire length, and a continuous light flexible member extending across the space between and connecting the rear terminals of the Ashoulder straps and consisting of a single continuous piece of cord doubled to form two strands and to provide button engaging loops at the ends of the exible member, the strands of the iiexible member being secured together at the central portion of the flexible member to pro;

vide a stiffened transverse connecting portion extending across the rear terminals of the shoul- V der straps and across the space between the same.

4. A brace comprising'shoulder straps spaced apart throughout their entireV length, and aircon-` tinuous light flexible member extending across the space between and connecting the rear terminals' of the shoulder straps and consisting of a single continuous piece of cord dcubledto Vform two strands and to provide buttonV engaging loopsY at the ends of the flexible membenthe terminals of the cord being located at the rear end of one Y of the shoulder Vstraps and a strip of adhesive tape wrapped around the strands at the said ends of the cord'andV secured to the strands and hav-Y ing an extended flap portion connected with the adjacent shoulder strap intericrly of the brace.

5-. A brace comprising shoulder straps spaced apart throughout their entire length and provided at their rear ends with tabs consisting of pieces of materia-lA folded over Yand embracing and secured to the rear ends of the shoulder straps, the

pieces being cut and extended beyond the said the biasloops to prevent movement of the flexi,`

ble member within the loops relative to the shoulder straps, said'flexible member being extended"Y beyond the -loops'toi form rear suspender ends.

6, -A brace comprising shoulder straps spaced apart throughout their entire length and provided at their rear ends with tabs consisting of Y pieces of materialffolded over andembracing and Ysecured to the rear ends of the shoulder straps,

the pieces b eing cut and extended beyond the said `rear ends of the shoulder straps-to form bias Y loops extending downwardly and outwardly away from each other, and acontinuous flexible member extending across the space between the rear` ends of the shoulder straps and passing through to form vrear suspender ends,fsaid flexible member consisting of a single continuous cordrhaving Y the .biasA tending across thespace between the rear ends Y of the shoulder straps and passing through the Vthe Abias. loops and extending beyond the sameVV bias loops with its ends located within one of the loops, said flexible member being extended beyond the loops to form rear suspender ends, and consisting. of a single continuous cord and a strip of adhesive tape wrapped around the strands at the terminals of the cord and arranged within the contiguous loop and secured to the said strands and having one end extended beyond the strands and secured between one side of the adjacent tab and the rear end of the contiguous shoulder strap.

8. A brace having a shoulder strap provided with a front suspender end consisting of a single continuous cord doubled to form two strands and to provide button engaging loops; and a strip of material wrapped around the terminals of the cord and secured to the same and to the brace.

9. A brace comprising a shoulder strap provided at the front end with a tab forming a loop, and a front suspender end consisting of a single piece of cord doubled to provide two strands and toform button engaging loops, the terminals of the cord being arranged within the said taband a strip of material wrapped around the strands at the terminals of the cord and secured to the same and having an extended end secured to the loop beyond the cord.

10. A brace comprising a shoulder strap provided at the front end with a link member, a tab of exible material doubled to form a lower loop and having one side thereof folded on itself to provide an upper loop, the latter being linked into the link member and the terminals of the exible material being secured together, and a front suspender end extending through the lower loop and consisting of a single continuous cord doubled to form two strands, the terminals of the cord being secured within the lower loop.

11. A brace comprising a shoulder strap provided at the front end with a link member, a tab of flexible material doubled to form a lower loop and having one side thereof folded on itself to provide an upper loop, the latter being linkedv into the link member and the terminals of the exible material being secured together, a front suspender end extending through the lower loop and consisting of a single cord doubled to provide a plurality of strands and having its terminals arranged within the lower loop, and a strip of fabric wrapped around the strands at the said terminals and secured to the same and having an extended flap portion secured to the tab by the fastener means which secure the ends of the flexible material of the tab together.

12. A brace comprising shoulder straps of webbing spaced apart throughout their entire length and provided at their rear ends with loops, and a continuous light ilexible member composed of two sides and a connecting top portion, said connecting portion extending across the space between the rear terminals of the shoulder straps and passing through said loops and permanently attached to the same to prevent relative lateral movement of the shoulder straps on said exible member, the side portions of the flexible member forming downwardly extending rear suspender ends, which are free from each other from said loops to their lower terminals.

STEPHEN R.HICKOK. 

